New York State Museum We had a great day today. For the first time in many many moons, our family actually got to spend an entire Saturday together. No work. No family business. Just a day out.

This morning we headed over the hills to the New York State Museum located in the Empire State Plaza. It is a great museum for families, with all sorts of collections. The rock geeks among us really enjoyed the exhibit on the geology of the area and there were a few interesting displays of wildlife, such as moose and beavers.

Of special interest was the Fire Engine collection. My father-in-law is a retired firefighter and has made the lore of the profession a major part of my wife's and child's life. Seeing a truly fine and representative collection is a real treat.

But right next to this display of antique fire engines was the one that I spent the most time pondering (and explaining to a 7 year-old). It was the Engine 6 Pumper that was destroyed in the attack on, and collapse of, the World Trade Center. The WTC display is heart wrenching even in its very limited scope. There is twisted and maimed structural steel from the buildings themselves and perhaps the most eerie artifact is a piece of the landing gear complete with remnants of a shredded tire from American Airlines Flight 11.

It is difficult to view such things for those of us who remember 9/11. But it was clear that most of the kids under the age of 9 or 10 were seeing the exhibit as a previous generation's history rather than a ever-present reminder. As time goes on and the ranks of those who did not watch the events on that day become more numerous, displays such as this will become poignant references to a past era. And, I guess, that is what museums are all about.  ¶ 9:27 PM